32 Things Former Saturday Night Live Guests Hosts Have Said About What It’s Like

As a supporter who’s witnessed the iconic journey of Saturday Night Live since its debut in 1975, I can attest that stepping into the role of the week’s emcee is no small feat. It requires not only the ability to swiftly assemble a captivating TV program within mere days but also the knack for delivering humor under the spotlight. Here’s what 32 former Saturday Night Live guest hosts shared about their experience gracing the stage at Studio 8H.

Rob Lowe

Rob Lowe has frequently hosted Saturday Night Live throughout his long-lasting career, with one particular guest-host stint in 1990 standing out as a significant milestone. This debut helped him secure more comedic roles according to Lowe, who expressed gratitude towards Lorne Michaels for recognizing his comedic potential. In his own words: “I owe a debt of thanks to Lorne, who saw the humor in me…For some reason, no one had previously given me the chance or the freedom to be genuinely funny. Lorne, Mike Meyers, Chris Farley, and Dana Carvey, among others from that era, provided me with the opportunity to showcase my comedic abilities. This paved the way for roles in Parks and Recreation, The Grinder, Comedy Central Roasts, and other comedic opportunities in my career.

Emma Stone

In a conversation on “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon” in June 2024, Emma Stone, who belongs to SNL’s Five-Timers Club (a distinguished group of celebrities who have hosted Saturday Night Live at least five times), declared that hosting the show was the most remarkable experience she had ever lived. Regrettably, she shared that the people in charge of SNL don’t allow you to keep one of the club’s distinctive blue velvet jackets as a memento.

Christina Aguilera

Christina Aguilera, famously known for her “Pip” icon, has been a musical guest on Saturday Night Live multiple times. Yet, she’s only hosted the show once, in February 2004. In an interview with Collider back in 2010, she admitted that hosting Saturday Night Live is always nerve-wracking: “It’s like swimming or sinking.” Interestingly enough, part of the reason she landed the role in the movie Burlesque was due to her impression of Samantha from Sex and the City. They said she had comedic talents!

Regé-Jean Page

As a passionate film enthusiast, I fondly recall Regé-Jean Page’s electrifying debut as the host of Saturday Night Live in 2021. In an engaging interview with Variety, he shared his delight about the experience, particularly the opportunity to brainstorm with comedic legends like Kenan Thompson. For him, the most exhilarating aspect was engaging in a two-way conversation with the cast, who were eagerly waiting for his unexpected ideas, making each moment unpredictable and thrilling.

Mary-Kate Olsen

Octavia Spencer

Actress Octavia Spencer, who won an Oscar, first appeared as a host on Saturday Night Live in March 2017. Just before her appearance, Extra interviewed Spencer on the red carpet at the Academy Awards. During the interview, Spencer shared that she would be leaving early the next morning to go to New York for SNL. She confessed that she was both thrilled and scared: “I have a lot of stage fright, so I need to get out there on that stage as much as possible this week.

Steve Martin

Despite being one of the greatest hosts SNL has ever seen, with 16 appearances under his belt like Steve Martin, you might expect that performing on Saturday Night Live would be routine. However, in an interview on the Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend podcast, he admitted that he still agonizes over those opening monologues, even for his 2022 Christmas episode alongside co-star Martin Short from Only Murders in the Building. He jokingly told Marty, “The monologue was fantastic, ratings were high, so there’s a possibility we might be asked to host again sometime. Just remember, we spent three years perfecting that monologue before you say yes.

Sydney Sweeney

As a thrill-seeker, I must confess that I was absolutely petrified before my SNL hosting stint during Season 49 in March 2024, but boy, the joy I experienced was indescribable! Speaking to People afterward, I shared my sentiments: “I’m overjoyed that I took on this challenge, and if given another chance, I’d leap at it without hesitation. Now that I’ve been through the process once, I feel ready to handle it again. The SNL team is simply fantastic; they make work seem like play. It’s a remarkable ensemble, and I can’t wait to collaborate with them again some day!

Justin Timberlake

Over time, Justin Timberlake has been involved in some of Saturday Night Live’s most iconic (and somewhat daring) musical performances. Yet, he’s also demonstrated his comical flair as the host, taking on the role five times over a span of nine years. In 2011, he told W Magazine that hosting SNL was a long-held dream of his. “SNL offered me an opportunity to capitalize on my abilities,” he said, “by blending music with humor, it seemed like a stepping stone into the acting world.

Kristen Wiig

Kristen Wiig holds a unique position as a Five-Time Club member, having been a beloved cast member on the NBC show from 2005 to 2012. In her role as a former cast member, she finds it particularly meaningful, expressing her excitement in her opening monologue during her fifth appearance as an SNL host in 2024. “Being a former cast member makes this incredibly special for me,” Wiig said. “I’m thrilled to receive my jacket tonight… they don’t just give those jackets away easily.” (Enter Ryan Gosling, Matt Damon, and a host of non-Five Timers, comically strutting out in the coveted coats.)

Pedro Pascal

Pedro Pascal is hilarious as an SNL host, but it’s surprising to learn that he was terrified when he first hosted the show in February 2023. “I don’t often seek out challenges,” said the star of The Last of Us to Esquire. “SNL packed all those challenges into just one week of my life.” Yet, he smiled and said it was worth every moment: “I had an absolutely fantastic time.

Issa Rae

In a state of disbelief, Issa Rae, the star and creator of “Insecure,” expressed her astonishment during her monologue on Season 46 of “Saturday Night Live.” She confessed that she had just descended the same stairs as comedy greats like Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and Molly Shannon. Remarkably, her family’s humor often stemmed from “SNL,” making this moment truly incredible for her. However, she candidly admitted to feeling absolutely terrified; she was scared out of her wits and might even vomit.

Betty White

Betty White, the cherished American icon and TV legend, also experienced stage fright before her Saturday Night Live debut at 88 years old, as revealed in the PBS documentary ‘Betty White: First Lady of Television’. In this documentary, White herself explained that stage fright can be awkward but it’s beneficial because it triggers panic, which must be controlled to deliver a strong performance. She added that stage fright gives an edge to her performances.

Andrew Garfield

Andrew Garfield, unlike his well-known former partner Emma Stone, hasn’t hosted SNL as frequently, but he did manage a commendable two performances as guest host in 2011 and 2014. Before his 2014 stint, Garfield confessed to PopSugar: “I feel like I really want to leap out of this window at the moment. I’m incredibly excited, but also extremely anxious – very, very anxious. I’m starting to perspire!

Megan Fox

Megan Fox, who starred in “Jennis Body” and hosted Saturday Night Live back in 2009, shared with Parade that working on a film allows for retakes and time to perfect scenes, but SNL is fast-paced and demanding. If you can’t read the cue cards or miss your mark, you might mess up. So, performing on live TV carries more pressure. This is why her praise of Machine Gun Kelly’s 2021 SNL performance holds extra sweetness.

Billie Eilish

Even though Billie Eilish, a young artist in Gen Z, appears to be a seasoned professional in Hollywood with her stadium tours and Oscar wins, she still felt quite anxious before her Saturday Night Live (SNL) hosting gig in December 2021. She even confessed that she vomited due to the anxiety, admitting on The Howard Stern Show, “I actually did throw up because of it…I had a full body reaction to being anxious about the whole week.” Fortunately, her nervousness subsided once she saw the crowd and felt their enthusiasm, which in turn brought relief and reaffirmed her love for performing.

James McAvoy

In various movies like IT and X-Men, James McAvoy has faced numerous frightening characters on screen. Yet, it was his upcoming debut as SNL host in Season 44 that left him truly petrified. As he shared with Access Hollywood in 2019, just thinking about hosting the show made him feel an urgent need to rush to the bathroom.

John Mulaney

As a devoted fan, I can’t help but share my admiration for John Mulaney. While he was a prolific writer at Studio 8H from 2008 to 2013, it wasn’t until 2018 that he stepped into the spotlight as the host of Saturday Night Live. In an interview with NPR, he confessed to feeling “absolutely terrified” because these people know me so well. It’s not that they don’t love me, but they know me—from my awkward days in the hallway at 25, sipping on Dr. Pepper and acting like a fool. I feel like a fraud, he admitted, a feeling I believe many of us share from time to time.

Kristen Stewart

Before making her debut as host on Saturday Night Live in 2017, Kristen Stewart admitted to former SNL cast member Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show that she had been hesitant about the show for six years: “I’ve just been a total chickenfoot about it, but then I decided it was time to take the plunge and possibly stumble. It might make me stronger, you know?” And indeed, her first appearance was quite memorable – Stewart famously dropped an F-bomb and publicly announced her sexuality as gay.

Lindsay Lohan

For most new SNL hosts, initial nerves are a frequent occurrence, but Lindsay Lohan, who has hosted SNL on four occasions, reassures that the experience gets smoother with each visit to Studio 8H. As she shared with Vogue in 2022, “Before going on SNL for the first time, it’s always incredibly nerve-wracking. However, it becomes more comfortable over time.

Austin Butler

In preparation for his first-time hosting of Saturday Night Live in 2022, Austin Butler turned to two of his colleagues from “Dune: Part Two” for guidance – Timothée Chalamet and Christopher Walken, both of whom had performed on Studio 8H before. Recalling the conversation, Butler said to Chalamet, “I remember asking you and Christopher Walken because I was so nervous.” To this, Christopher Walken simply responded, “Just read the cue cards!

Courteney Cox

In her initial year as a beloved character on Friends, Courteney Cox performed solo on Saturday Night Live (SNL) in 1995. Reflecting on this experience during an interview on The Howard Stern Show on SiriusXM, Cox admitted, “I wasn’t nearly self-assured enough to host that show. Truthfully, now I would relish the opportunity. However, at the time, no one was asking me to do it, but boy, I was too inexperienced.” Re-watching the episode years later, Cox noted, “The cast was fantastic, and it was enjoyable, but I can certainly see my anxiety and apprehension.

Regina King

In her initial speech as the debut Saturday Night Live host, Regina King spoke about the impact a specific SNL legend had on her. “I can hardly believe that I am standing here hosting Saturday Night Live, she said. “I recall watching Eddie Murphy perform on this stage when I was just a child, feeling awestruck and thinking, ‘One day, I’ll be up there too.’ Then he moved on, but in jest, I thought, ‘Well, I guess not.’ In reality, it is truly an immense honor for me.

Timothée Chalamet

Before his scheduled hosting in 2023, Timothée Chalamet received a comforting message from an unexpected source: a note left by Five-Timers Club member Woody Harrelson backstage. “Woody Harrelson had written, ‘I’m terrified right now,’ and added his name,” Chalamet shared with Elle. “Upon reading this just before, I thought, ‘Oh, that’s nice. That makes me feel better. It seems I’m not the only one who’s nervous at the moment.’

Michael Keaton

During his pre-performance encouragement, Michael Keaton, star of “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice”, sought advice from Dana Carvey, a renowned comedian from Saturday Night Live. On his podcast “Fly on the Wall”, Carvey shared: “After the rehearsal, [Michael] said, ‘I’m unsure. I don’t do this often. I don’t know what I’m doing up there,’ you understand? I replied, ‘No one does. This is tough. So all you need to do is say, ‘What the devil’ and enjoy yourself.’ Then he excelled on stage, leaving everyone in stitches. And there you have it, he’s a pro.

Dave Chappelle

Comedian Dave Chappelle had a special occasion of hosting Saturday Night Live following both the 2016 and 2020 elections. In a segment titled “Stories from the Show” on the show’s official Twitter account, Chappelle discusses his preparations for the 2016 episode: “I do recall the weight of that week. On Tuesday night, when we were writing, that was election night, and they were displaying the results on the ice in Rockefeller [Center]…As the writers’ room began to quiet down, people started realizing that things weren’t unfolding as everyone had anticipated.

Dan Levy

Dan Levy, star of Schitt’s Creek and son of the legendary Eugene Levy, possesses a knack for comedy that seems innate. However, even with such a strong pedigree, he admitted to needing a confidence boost before his Saturday Night Live debut. This boost came unexpectedly during an encounter with Drew Barrymore, which he shared on her talk show. He explained, “I was just about to appear on Saturday Night Live and I had never been so nervous in my entire life. And I saw your face, and it was like an instant soother.” Moved by this positive interaction, Dan left a thoughtful note for the following host, Regina King.

Kim Kardashian

During her first hosting stint on Saturday Night Live in 2021, Kim Kardashian disclosed that her former husband, the renowned rapper Kanye West, was initially planned as a musical guest. She discussed this on the launch of Hulu’s The Kardashians. In the end, she opted to keep the focus on herself, stating, “I want this experience to be about me and not about any potential tension between us.” However, she expressed that it would have been special for their children to see them both perform together on SNL.

Adele

Twelve years after first appearing on SNL as a musical guest, Adele got the chance to host the whole shindig in 2020, an opportunity the vocalist was adorably thrilled about. “I’m so excited about this!! And also absolutely terrified! My first ever hosting gig and for SNL of all things!!!!” she posted on Instagram. “I’ve always wanted to do it as a standalone moment, so that I could roll up my sleeves and fully throw myself into it, but the time has never been right. But if there was ever a time for any of us to jump head first into the deep end with our eyes closed and hope for the best, it’s 2020 right?”

Ariana DeBose

As a performer used to the intense eight-shows-a-week schedule of theater, West Side Story star Ariana DeBose knows very well the demands of a live performance. And hosting Saturday Night Live in 2022 was certainly demanding but also rewarding, the star revealed on her Instagram. “The smile on my face says it all. That was, no lie, one of the craziest weeks of life so far, but such a thrilling ride. There’s nothing—I repeat—nothing like @nbcsnl.”

Amy Schumer

Hosting SNL is always nerve-wracking, even for a comedy pro like Amy Schumer, but add in a family emergency and you’ve got a whole new level of anxiety. “I missed Thursday rehearsals when my son was rushed to the ER and admitted for RSV,” Schumer revealed on her Instagram. “I got to be with him the whole day at the hospital and the beautiful humans at @nbcsnl couldn’t have been more supportive. ” Thankfully, Schumer’s son Gene ended up being fine and the comic was able to host the show on Saturday night as planned.

Travis Kelce

In his podcast with brother Jason, football star Travis Kelce reminisced about hosting SNL, saying it was a moment he wanted to keep etched in memory forever. He described the experience of being behind that door, on that stage, and in that studio as simply iconic. While hosting, Travis humorously mentioned that he kept telling himself not to trip over the steps, reminding himself, “You’re live, Travis, you’re live!

2025-01-07 21:38